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Wednesday, August 22, 2012

In light of Usana's new product logo launch, I will be giving away one of their most popular and essential BiOmega supplement (Value of $26.00)! Why take BiOmega? It contains EPA and DHA, long chained fatty acids that support cardiovascular and brain health. These are mostly found in foods such as fish and some nuts that many of us do not eat on a daily basis. It also contains Vitamin D and lemon oil to offset the fishy aftertaste. Each bottle contains 56 capsules.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

My half marathon training day 10 has proven to be one of my toughest days, yet! I initially thought that adding in some weight training on a few of my running days would be an efficient way to fit it into my week. So how did I do it?
As a very busy mom like so many other moms, the only way to get all of our necessary training elements into one week is look for those times of the day that will have the least disruption on our families schedule. Mine happens to be at @ 5am in the morning when everyone in my house is asleep. Today I decided to take essential steps to preparing my day of training! Here are some of the activities/strategies that made my day a success:

Woke up @ 5:00am for weight training at the gym (I rewarded myself by stopping by my favourite coffee shop at the end of class).

After my weight training, I came home and prepared a slow cook dinner while making breakfast for my family. I knew that if I wanted to get my run in after work, I wouldn't have time to prepare dinner when I got home. I love my slow cooker for that reason and you can cook very healthy meals (a mother's best kitchen appliance).

After work @ 5:30pm I went out for my 4.9km run. It was a tough one, after having done weights in the morning. But I got through it, knowing that there was a delicious dinner waiting for me at home!

I definitely felt that today seemed impossible at times, to fit everything into one day! However, having an amazing goal to work towards, such as going to the Rock n' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon is motivation enough to help me stay focused. This is one of the big reasons I started a Moms In Motion training team in my community. I believe that having a goal towards an event such as a race can be very rewarding as well as help stay on track. Most times weight loss is the deciding factor for fitness, but this can cause disappointment as well as deter some from enjoying exercise. In addition, it is important for moms to be great role models for their families by taking care of themselves. They are for the most part the driving force behind every family. So...yay for me that I got through day 10 of my training!

Monday, August 20, 2012

This is a very hearty lentil stew with a great mix of veggies. I usually prepare this on a Monday evening, after having a weekend full of parties with high fattening foods. This dish is gluten-free as well as vegan. I highly recommend to all of my clients having at least two vegan dinners a week to decrease intake of high saturated fat meats and increase more plant proteins. This is a great start to improving heart health as well as lowering those bad cholesterol levels. In addition, this recipe is great for leftovers! For a finishing touch, I love adding mashed avocado.

Ingredients:

8 cups Vegetable Stock

3 Celery (chopped)

3-4 Carrots (sliced)

1 Red Pepper (chopped)

1 Yellow Pepper (chopped)

3 Red Potatoes (cut into small squares)

1/2 cup Red Lentils

1/2 cup Green Lentils

1 cup Basmati Rice

1 1/2 tsp. Cumin

1 tsp. Mild Curry

1 tsp. Grated Ginger

1 1/2 tsp. Chili Powder

1/2 Avocado (mashed)

Combine all ingredients in a large cooking pot.

Bring stew mix to a boil. Stir and reduce heat.

Simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes until vegetables and lentils are soft.

Turn off heat and let stew cool before serving.

Enjoy!

**Baby Note: This can also be a great pureed food idea for your baby. You can eliminate or decrease the spices if they are hard on your baby's tummy.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

I must say that this was the hardest run I have ever done, yet! I am not sure if it is a combination of the last few days at the lake, eating junk food and not exercising. My legs were so heavy for the first half hour that I felt like I couldn't go on another step. However I dug deep, pumped my arms and kept on going. Not only did I finish my intended 8.63km, I finished with a best time thus far in my training! It just goes to show that you shouldn't discount yourself and keep pushing until the end. I was so proud to wear my Moms In Motion hat to show off to passing fellow runners and walkers. Go Moms!
I also added in a medicine ball workout after my run. Medicine ball is great for speed and power development, a form of plyometrics. I love using it for my own workouts as well as for my clients. It adds a bit more variety to a weight training program and it is fun to throw a ball around! In addition, this workout is really effective when having a partner (I use my husband). Here are a few of my favourite medicine ball exercises:

Sit ups ball catches, legs grounded

Seated passing twists

Supine (on back) ball raise with legs

Knee raises with ball between the legs

Bicycle situp with ball hitting ground each side

Overhead pass

Rotational pass

I am looking forward to a relaxing rest day tomorrow, then back to training on Tuesday (I am not sure if it will really be relaxing with 3 kids and working full-time!).

Saturday, August 18, 2012

This is one of my simple morning breakfast ideas that is gluten-free and delicious! It is made with 1 cup of cooked oatmeal, 1/3 cup granola, 1/4 cup of Greek Yogurt, and hand-ful of blueberries. It is very filling and so health! Enjoy!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

This was an awesome Day 5 training towards my half-marathon goal in December! It feels great to have come a long way to get to this point in my health and fitness journey. The best thing about having a fitness goal such as a running event, such as Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in Las Vegas, is that it keeps you accountable to sticking with your training plan. Even though I am still very early in my training, I will take any positive moment I can get!
Today was also my first day of weight training, in addition to my run. As a former university athlete and trainer, I know that adding weights is an important part of any well-balanced fitness program. I will begin to train muscle endurance (high reps low resistance) then add in more strength and power (lower reps higher resistance). I believe that starting with this type of periodization is best to avoid plateauing as well as decrease chances of injury. The weight workout today felt so great! I will probably experience a little delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) in the next few days, but there is always that fantastic line to remember- NO PAIN, NO GAIN!
The other great part about my journey has been the support of my husband! When I first discussed my half-marathon training to him, we both realized the commitment it will take to train and that sharing all home responsibilities would be best for my success. It meant that he would need to cook and clean more around the house, which he was more than happy to take more responsibility. I also needed to let go of my perfection and allow him to perform the house chores as he sees fit. I think sometimes, as mothers, we take the majority of household chores because we prefer them to be done a certain way. However, if we are to really look after our health and wellness, as well as taking of our families, we need to let go and allow others to take on the work. I am not alone in my journey, because I need my family to help me make it a reality!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Today's run felt like such a great accomplishment. I had been a little nervous because I hadn't conquered this distance since my children were born (5 years ago). After having children, your body changes a lot! I have found that my hips are little weak due to the stretching of ligaments and muscles in pregnancy (oh...the joys of pregnancy hormones). I know that I will have to work on strengthening that area of my body if I want to sustain my longer run workouts without injury.
In addition, I didn't feel like disappointing myself. I have found that when you write out your workout plan, it always looks great on paper, but applying it to your real life can be a challenge. Since I had pre-planned this run from the beginning, I knew that I was going to adhere to it no matter what. I didn't let my busy day of running around after kids become an obstacle in my goal to run a half marathon in Las Vegas. The truth is that my kids need to see their mom taking time to take of herself. I know it will be an adjustment for them because I had not done this over the past few years. Thankfully, I have a supportive husband and family that know how important this is to me and are willing to help out. I can't wait to take on this challenge and will do so day by day!

Workout:

Ran 8.60km in 51:42 minutes

Burned an average of 534 cal

Average pace was 6:00 min/km

At the end of workout I did 3 sets of push-ups, tricep dips and plank (held for 30 seconds) **Check out #plankaday on Twitter**

An easy healthy morning breakfast packed with high-quality is an egg-white omelette. Egg whites have the complete proteins without the fat and cholesterol of egg yolk. I actually prefer egg whites because, when cooked, have a light and fluffy texture. I also buy the Free-Range Egg White cartons and the grocery store. And, of course, these are gluten-free.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

I have finally made it to this moment! My Day 1 of my Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon training. It has been years since I had run for 6.3km!! After suffering through post-partum depression, and now Celiac disease, I can't believe that I have made it back to a place in my life that makes sense.
Fitness has been my whole life since childhood. I had defined myself as an athlete at a very young age and knew that I would never quit, even when I became a mom. The funny thing about becoming a mom is...your life will forever change, more than you ever expected. I never knew that mothers could become depressed after their baby was born because it is such a proud moment in one's life. However, pregnancy and post-pregnancy hormones can wreck havoc on a woman's body, as I found out with post-partum depression.
In addition to overcoming this, I have had very serious Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) this year that I couldn't even get out of bed some days. I had lost a ton of weight (not from exercising), lost some of my hair, and had little to no energy (having no energy when you have three kids is torture). And recently I have been diagnosed with Celiac disease, so now I have to be extra careful in what I consume. However, it is nice to get an answer to what has been plaguing my digestive system this past year.
To be able to step out for a run today, almost brought tears to my eyes. I also felt more determined than I had ever been to conquer my first day of my training. I felt very focused and clear in what my goals were for the run. It didn't matter my time or pace. I enjoyed experiencing all the senses such as the heat of the sun, the scent of the plants and the feel of the breeze. I really wanted to soak in the moment. It was a great start to a 12 week training program. Las Vegas, I'm comin' for ya!

Friday, August 10, 2012

The summer is not over yet and your child can still enjoy a cool drink on a hot day. As a mother, I have many concerns of high sugar summer treats that my kids enjoy such as ice cream, popsicles and frozen juice drinks. Don't get me wrong, I think having these in moderation is a good idea but convincing my children to drink a cool glass of water instead of pop can be daunting. That is why I came up with the idea of making fancy juice ice cubes that they can put in their water. This is a great way to get them to drink water by adding a little flavour of juice as well as the fun shapes of the ice. The best part is that your children can make these along with you.

I purchased these ice cube trays from Amazon.com as well as many other varieties such as dolphins, berries and banana. This is such a cool idea to cool off your child while they enjoy the hot summer weather (remember...there is still a while until school starts, so enjoy!)

I have always wanted to make these muffins, but not sure how my family would react to having zucchini in their muffins. I have a few picky eaters in my house and getting them to eat a variety of vegetables is a chore. That is why I wanted to give these a try, and I wasn't disappointed in the result. They were absolutely delicious. I didn't even tell my girls what they were until they ate them. My daughter asked, "Mommy...what is that green stuff?"
When I told her it was zucchini, she nearly fell off her chair! My husband also thought they were delicious, which says a lot.
I adapted this recipe from www.fortheloveofcooking.com to make them gluten-free, low-fat and dairy-free (if you omit the chocolate chips or add dairy-free chocolate chips). In addition, I substituted the sugar for maple syrup for a more natural sugar alternative.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

I was a little nervous trying Tofu as a newbie vegan. It was mostly because of the negativity I heard from others about its taste and texture. For my new vegan meal ideas, I needed to give it a try to incorporate alternative protein sources in my diet. After giving it a try, I did enjoy it in this recipe. The texture is definitely different from eggs scrambled, but a great alternative.

It is official! I signed up for the Las Vegas Rock n' Roll Half-Marathon event on December 2nd. I am so pumped to be part of this event. Not only do I get to be in Vegas, but get to run on the strip which will be such an awesome experience. This event is full of Vegas-type fun such as bands along the course as well as marriage ceremonies (I am already happily married, so won't be participating in this). It is also going to be a great bonding time for my husband and I because he has also signed up for the race. He has never been one to take up running as an activity, even though, he was a university national wrestler. However, he feels running in this type of event in a place like Las Vegas would be a good time, even to run a half marathon.
We will start our Half- Marathon training August 11th! If those of you who would be interested training with us from wherever you are on the globe, join my Moms In Motion Half-Marathon On-line team and be part of the experience. We'll be doing frequent Twitter chats at #momsinmotionroz to support each other and share training ideas. Join us whether you are coming to Las Vegas or would just like to have a virtual trainer to coach you through the next 16 weeks to improved health!